AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-013
ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, The
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the activities of a
worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in
designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital
Amateur Radio satellites.
Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:
ans-editor at amsat.org
In this edition:
* AMSAT Store Sells Out of Initial Supply of Broadband Preamps
* FITSAT-1 LED Schedules
* NASA Announces Student Internships for Summer
* Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-013.01
ANS-013 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 013.01
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
Januray 3, 2013
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-013.01
AMSAT Store Sells Out of Initial Supply of Broadband Preamps
The initial run of broadband preamps have been sold. We expect to have more
available relatively soon. The first few will be
used to cover existing orders.
When they are available for purchase, they will be on the AMSAT store, and
announcements will be made though AMSAT media. Thanks to all who have ordered
them, and by doing so supported AMSAT operations!
[ANS thanks Alan, WA4SCA, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FITSAT-1 LED Schedules
Flashing LED plan was based on the weather:
14th Jan. 04:57:30 - 04:59:30 UTC North Italy (10Hz Green)
14th Jan. 11:03:30 - 11:05:30 UTC Central USA (10Hz Green)
15th Jan. 22:27:30 - 22:29:30 UTC Wulmuqi China (10Hz Green)
17th Jan. 20:22:30 - 20:24:30 UTC Central India (10Hz Green)
19th Jan. 03:19:30 - 03:21:30 UTC North Italy (10Hz Green)
The magnitude of flashing NIWAKA has been observed to be approximately 7 to 8.
The light is faint.
The following web sites have additional FITSAT-1 information
http://www.fit.ac.jp/~tanaka/fitsat.shtmlhttp://www.jinkou-eisei.jp/FITSAT/index.htmlhttp://www.ne.jp/asahi/hamradio/je9pel/fitsatle.htm
[ANS thanks Mineo, JE9PEL, for the above information]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
NASA Announces Student Internships for Summer
College Level Internships
-------------------------
NASA says they are accepting applications for college level summer internship
positions among several NASA field centers. "But don't wait until the
deadline," advises NASA mentor and fellow AMSAT member, Pat Kilroy, N8PK. "The
opportunities to work on a CubeSat team, for example, are exciting but pretty
competitive."
It is thought that students who know the "AMSAT way" and who have an Amateur
Radio license and some hands on experience have a distinct advantage in the
midst of such competition. "That worked for me," said Pat.
Students can view opportunities and apply for them in one place. To start, the
prospective student should go to:
https://intern.nasa.gov/
then click the Student Opportunities tab then select Internships, which will
bring you to the OSSI:NIFS page describing the overall internship program.
Using the Search Opportunities tab from there,
scroll down to the bottom for the
"Enter keywords" box and enter "cubesat" without the quotes to view the variety
of different opportunities in this field.
Pat Kilroy will be the lead mentor for two of the opportunities described. The
first, under the title of "CubeSat Engineering Design Team Project," applicants
are called to develop a CubeSat spacecraft bus (i.e., the solar panel and
battery charging, power regulation and distribution "EPS" subsystem, the RF
communications "COM" subsystem, the command and data handling/processing
avionics "C&DH" subsystem, the attitude determination and control "ADAC"
subsystem, and the mechanical structures "MECH" subsystem) and one instrument
(i.e., a camera/telescope payload). Hardware and software skills will be well
represented. The team will need a student Systems Engineer as well. Each intern
will consult with a NASA engineer in their area of specialty throughout the
summer.
In the second, under the title "PICetSat Module
Development," one or two student
interns are called to perform any of a number of
tasks, including one to develop
a "dual-use" ground station for CubeSats and high-altitude balloon and sounding
rocket experiments. This task will involve satellite and balloon tracking, RF
systems, test equipment and antennas and antenna control automation.
Additional details are available on the OSSI:NIFS site including how to contact
the lead mentor for technical questions, and the procedure on how to apply for
one of these Goddard Greenbelt positions as well as many others.
High School Internship Applications at NASA
-------------------------------------------
The application process for high school students to apply for a summer
internship can be found on the same OSSI:NIFS Web site as given above for the
summer at one of many locations around the country. As noted in the
opportunity description already mentioned, up to two local high school seniors
will be selected to participate on the CubeSat team in Greenbelt.
[ANS thanks NASA for the above information.]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule
Saint Rose Elementary School, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, direct via
VE9LC contact is a go for: Thu 2013-01-17 13:40:24 UTC 60 deg
All dates and times listed follow International Standard ISO 8061 date and time
format YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
Note, all times are approximate. It is
recommended that you do your own orbital
prediction or start listening about 10 minutes before the listed time.
Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school events is 786.
Each school counts as 1 event.
+++++++++++++++++
US Hams, dont forget that there is a new process for US school proposals. For
US schools to have an ARISS contact, they must
fill out a proposal, submit it to
NASA, and see if they are approved or not. Once
a school is approved and put on
the list, an ARISS mentor will be assigned to assist the school.
NASA will have two open windows a year for
schools to submit a proposal.You must
go through NASA to get the proposal material. Contact Teaching From Space, a
NASA Education office, at JSC-TFS-ARISS at mail.nasa.gov or by calling them at
(281) 244-2320.
The following US states and entities have never had an ARISS contact: Arkansas,
Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South
Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, American
Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas
Islands, and the Virgin Islands.
+++++++++++++++++
QSL information may be found at:
http://www.arrl.org/frequently-asked-questionshttp://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's
ISS callsigns: DPØISS, NA1SS, OR4ISS, RSØISS
[ANS thanks Charlie, AJ9N, for the above information]
/EX
In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the
President's Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining
donors to AMSAT Project Funds, will be eligible to receive addi-
tional benefits. Application forms are available from the AMSAT
Office.
Primary and secondary school students are eligible for membership
at one-half the standard yearly rate. Post-secondary school students
enrolled in at least half time status shall be eligible for the stu-
dent rate for a maximum of 6 post-secondary years in this status.
Contact Martha at the AMSAT Office for additional student membership
information.
73,
This week's ANS Editor,
Lee McLamb, KU4OS
ku4os at amsat dot org